


In the Rain

by EtoilesJaunes



Category: Miraculous Ladybug
Genre: F/M, Gabriel Agreste's Shitty Parenting Strikes Again, Identity Reveal, Light Angst, all who are surprised, but again... who's surprised...?, even i don't know how long it is, gratuitous use of italics & ellipses & hyphens, have fun with that lmao, oh geez there's lots i could put in here but they're all spoilers so, raise your hand, there's a rando time jump at the end, they're having A Talk at Notre-Dame again, this is me pretending to tag, you get rambling instead
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-08-27
Updated: 2018-08-27
Packaged: 2019-06-23 18:04:33
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,708
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/15611928
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/EtoilesJaunes/pseuds/EtoilesJaunes
Summary: It's raining in Paris, and the sun isn't the only hidden thing waiting to come out.A particularly anticlimactic akuma attack has an unexpected fallout. Will Chat be able to pick up the pieces by himself? Will he let Ladybug in enough to try and help him? Will Gabriel ever stop being a literal dung heap of a parent?(We all know the answer to that last one, lbr)





	In the Rain

**Author's Note:**

> Sometimes, I'll read a fic where Gabriel is written as a semi-decent guy, if only you could excuse the fact that he's Hawk Moth. And I sit there and think, 'Wow, I'd like to give that a try!" and then I start writing him and I'm just like 'damn, you're even more of a dick than the last time I wrote you' like he wasn't even supposed to be in here but he just stuck his foot in the door like 'excuse me, i'm important'
> 
> Update: After Sandboy, I no longer feel like I'm being too extreme.

It was raining in Paris. Not enough to keep people inside, but enough to warrant the use of an umbrella.

Marinette and Alya had been walking towards the latter’s house, pink umbrella bumping against the ladybug-patterned one, when the akuma alert went off. Alya shot her friend an apologetic glance.

“Hey, girl, I’m so sorry to have to cancel, but—”

“Alya, it’s fine. I just remembered my parents needed me for something anyway.”

Alya looked relieved before sprinting away, double checking her phone battery, as Marinette ran off in the opposite direction to find a secluded alleyway.

“I wonder who Hawk Moth decided to pick on this time,” Tikki mused as she flew out of the purse.

“I guess we’ll find out,” Marinette replied. “Time to transform! Tikki, spots on!”

One flash of pink later, Ladybug was sprinting over the rooftops, trying to locate the akuma. There weren’t any screams, which wasn’t exactly  _ unusual, _ but it sure did make the akuma harder to locate. The alert had said it was nearby, but it could have moved…

...Wait, when had all those sports cars shown up? Ladybug wasn’t exactly in the wealthier part of the city. She raised an eyebrow, stopping to scan the street below. 

She could see a person in the window of all of the nicer cars — different people, but just one per car so far — and they all looked… Bored? Was that the right word? They were just staring glumly into the rain…

Now that she noticed that, most of the people on the street shared the expression, and a lot of them had some weird objects near them. Several people were sitting on safes, and the few that had doors open revealed hundreds of euros in cash spilling out. Some people were in pairs, one looking bored and the other — were those all models? Ladybug could have sworn she saw the face of Gabriel’s womenswear line three times already — was looking almost disgruntled. Frustrated? Ignored, that was it.

A few apathetic kids had energetic dogs bouncing around them, begging for attention and finding none.

One woman was surrounded by hundreds of bagels.

None of them were holding umbrellas or seeking shelter. Ladybug idly wondered if they even noticed the weather.

Yeah, this was probably a good start to finding the akuma. She turned and continued running, looking for more signs. More of the same followed as she turned a corner down another main road.

Finally, in the distance, she saw flashing lights and movement. Her sprint slowed to a jog as she tried to pick out any sort of details. She couldn’t see Chat there, so she flipped open her communicator. 

It went to the voicemail feature.

“Chat, I found the akuma. Get here as soon as you can. It doesn’t seem to be violent, but I think it’s moving pretty quick. Just get my location and follow me.” She saw another flash of light. “See you soon,  _ chaton.” _

She closed her yo-yo.  _ Well, no time to waste. _

As she closed in, flitting between the chimneys to keep her cover, she was able to catch sight of what she was pretty sure was the akuma.

A figure, completely gold. As far as she could tell, it was a male. Unless it was a taller woman with short hair and broad shoulders… But she’d err on the most likely side for now, at least until he turned and showed his face. 

The flashing lights she saw earlier seemed to be coming from his wrists in the form of bright white beams. When they hit someone, objects similar to those she’d seen before appeared around them, but their faces fell.

His current target was a woman trying to hide under a table. Ladybug was still too far away to block the shot. When the light cleared, the woman was standing up, about twenty pounds lighter, and wearing something that was clearly designer. Next to her was a standalone wardrobe that had more clothes inside it. The woman ran her hand over the material, sighed, and planted herself in one of the chairs next to her.

Some very,  _ very _ small part of Ladybug’s mind was screaming to protect those clothes from the rain. The rest of her rational mind knew that the akuma was more important.

She opened her yo-yo to its communicator setting again.

“Chat, where are you? I found the akuma. I’ll try to keep him here for now. I don’t think he’s violent, but I definitely don’t want to get hit by a beam. Everyone who has is just… Sitting there. Please hurry!” 

With no more targets in the area, the akuma looked like it was deciding which way to go next. Ladybug couldn’t let that happen. She swung down and landed right in front of it.

“Not so fast! I won’t let you hurt any more people.”

“Ah, Ladybug. It’s about time you showed up, but can’t you see? You have nothing to fear.” He swept his arms out. “I’m hurting no one. I’m simply giving them what they desire most in this world. Shall we see what it is that you want most? I know what I do — your Miraculous!”

With that, he raised an arm and shot a beam at her, which she easily dodged. As long as Chat wasn’t here, she guessed she’d have to make do with distracting the akuma while she came up with a plan.

“Look, Golden Boy—”

The akuma snorted at that. Ladybug was a bit worried — since when did akumas have a sense of humor?

“Golden Boy?  _ Really? _ That’s the best you could come up with?”

Ladybug shifted her position, hand hovering over her yo-yo as her eyes darted over the statue-like figure. “I mean,  _ yeah, _ you haven’t exactly introduced yourself yet.”

The akuma straightened up before giving a flourishing bow. “Gilded Cage. I’d say at your service, but…” He looked up and smiled. “We both know who I’m  _ really _ serving, and I’ve heard you absolutely  _ despise _ liars.”

Something about that rang a bell in the back of her head, but she shoved it aside. There were more important things to focus on. 

Like the name he’d just revealed.

Gilded Cage? That suddenly made the string of people and various objects make a lot more sense. ‘Give them what they desire most,’ he’d said, and then make them too apathetic to even care.

So, pretty harmless, unless she’d get hit by a beam. Then, she’d have… Well,  _ something, _ but would become a sitting duck, just waiting for him to take her Miraculous.

“Look — you’re upset because someone was trying to buy your love or loyalty or  _ whatever, _ right? Don’t you see that’s exactly what Hawk Moth is doing, too?”

Gilded Cage sent another beam her way. His heart didn’t exactly seem to be in it, as all it required was a simple side-step to dodge it.

“He’s giving me freedom,” was the reply.

“And if you manage to get the Miraculous, you realize he’ll just take it away, right? Hawk Moth doesn’t care about anyone but himself. Look at what he’s done to the city!”

“At least I’d get a few seconds of recognition.”

Ladybug blinked at that, hand dropping a few inches. She really didn’t have a response. There was a moment where she stood completely still, taking in the way the rain slid down and off his — skin? Could you call it skin if it was metal, and also the same material as everything else on him? — his  _ skin, _ sure, and her eyes trailed down to his arms. 

There were two small things at his wrists that  _ weren’t _ gold. That was an attention getter, for sure. They were almost like buttons, but another word surfaced from the back of her mind — cufflinks.

Those had to be what the akuma was trapped in… But how to get them?

Gilded Cage must have seen her hesitation, because before she knew it, he was raising an arm at her again. It was only years of training that forced her into a sideways roll, then she was on her feet again, dodging a flurry of beams from him. It would seem he’d had enough of conversation. 

Oh, well. At least she knew where the akuma was. She strategically retreated up to a rooftop and hid behind a chimney while she called for her Lucky Charm.

A ladybug-patterned basketball fell from the air into her waiting hands. Well, it took a second or two of fumbling, which just aided her thoughts of  _ ‘Really, Tikki? A basketball?’ _

Even if the rain was lightening up, she was still pretty hopeless in things involving coordination that  _ weren’t _ a magical yo-yo.

She peeked out over the edge of the rooftop, looking for something to do with it. All she saw was the cufflinks… And her yo-yo.

This would take some pretty lucky timing.

“Hey, catch!” she yelled as she jumped down. She knew the suit would protect her as she fell, so she focused her concentration on aiming the ball in his direction, making it so he’d have to catch it.

And… Success!

Now, she had a window of about a second before he realized he had no business holding a basketball.

Just as her feet made contact with the ground, she whipped out her yo-yo and relied mainly on muscle memory to aim it towards his wrists. It looped around five times before he caught on.

“Wha— Hey!” He dropped the basketball and made to move his arms backward, but Ladybug was too fast for him. With a tug, she tightened the cord and pulled him closer to her. She closed the remaining distance with a few steps and easily pulled out the cufflinks. 

She dropped them on the ground — “Hope you don’t mind!” — and stepped on them. They broke, releasing the akuma. She had to release his wrists and turn away to catch and purify the butterfly. 

Then, Ladybug turned back around to see who the purple magic was melting off of.

* * *

It was raining in Paris. Not enough to be distracting to anyone indoors, but just enough to make someone who was having a bad day feel like the gloomy weather was especially for them.

Adrien stopped in the middle of the dining room doorway. 

There was only one place setting.

Really, he didn’t know why he expected anything else. He should really be getting used to it by now.

“Adrien.”

He turned towards the voice, automatically preparing himself for whatever excuse his father had fed to Nathalie to give to him. 

“He’s leaving for a month, Nathalie. A  _ month. _ And he couldn’t be bothered to spend thirty minutes with the only family he has left.”

“He does send his apologies, Adrien,” she said softly, approaching him and holding out a box. 

Adrien took a deep breath, reminding himself that it was his father that he was angry at, not Nathalie. He took the small box from her hand and opened it.

Two small golden cufflinks sat nestled inside, the letter A embossed on a discreet butterfly shape — a twist on the classic Gabriel monogram. No doubt this was his father reminding him that he was an Agreste, and he should act like one.

“‘A’ for apology. I get it,” he said, feeling a manic laugh building inside of him. He turned towards the staircase, raising his voice. “Really clever, dad!”

He started walking, intending to go to his room.

“Adrien, please come back and eat yo—”

“Not tonight, Nathalie,” he responded sharply, barely keeping his voice under control as he spun on his heel. Beside him, the fist curled around the box tightened and he had to resist the urge to fling it against the wall. “I just — I can’t. Not tonight.”

He took the stairs three at a time. Nathalie waited until he was out of sight before tapping her earpiece.

“He should be ready, sir. Are you sure you want to do this?”

“If everything goes according to plan, he’ll understand.”

“And if it doesn’t?”

“I don’t pay you to question me, Nathalie.”

“Of course not, sir.”

* * *

Just above the teenager’s room, a window opened.

“Poor boy. Feeling unloved by the only parent he still has… If only you knew what I’m trying to do for you. Still, you’ve got such potential for my akuma, and you finally let it get to you tonight.”

He summoned one of the butterflies to his palm, then, and watched as the dark magic infused it. 

“Fly away, my little akuma, and give him what he needs.”

* * *

There was no point in holding back his tears once he made it to his room. Plagg had wisely flown off somewhere else in the room, leaving Adrien to sit in front of his computer, staring at the picture of his mother, torn between feeling angry and feeling overwhelmingly sad.

Either one could justify the tears.

“He was so much better when you were around. Why did you leave?”

Something moved in his peripheral vision. He looked up, already preparing himself to ward off whatever sarcastic comment Plagg was about to make.

Time slowed down for him as he saw a black and purple butterfly squeezing its way through the window. He knew there was no way he could get his emotions under control in time.

He had maybe five seconds before it would reach him.

Did the Miraculous prevent akumatization? There was no way he’d let Plagg get hurt because of this. He wouldn’t let Hawk Moth find out who he was.

Four. 

_ I’m sorry, Plagg. _

He pulled off his ring and set it on the desk with a shaking hand.

_ I’m sorry, Ladybug. _

Three.

He grabbed the cufflinks. The akuma needed something to possess, and with her luck, his Lady would be able to get them off without too much trouble.

Two.

He hoped he wouldn’t hurt anyone. He didn’t  _ feel _ violent right now.

Just numb.

One.

The funny thing was that even this kind of publicity probably wouldn’t even compel his father to pay more attention to him. If anything, he’d get punished for letting himself get akumatized. Via Nathalie, of course.

 

And then, the akuma landed on the cufflinks and was absorbed.

* * *

“Adrien Agreste?”

His name was accompanied by a beeping he’d recognize anywhere. Even if he didn’t remember every single thing he’d done for the past hour.

Right, normal victims didn’t remember anything. But he did, for whatever reason.

“What…? Ladybug?” Practiced realization dawned on his face, then shifted to wide-eyes horror. That one wasn’t so hard to fake. “Oh, my God, was I— did I—”

“Adrien, Adrien, shh,” she soothed him, crouching down in front of him to grab his hands. “It’s not your fault. It’s over now. Everything’s okay.”

“Okay,” he parroted back to her, feeling his heart rate calm down as she started rubbing soothing circles into the backs of his hands.

In a sense, her words did help, just not for the reasons she thought they did. It was okay; he’d fought hard enough that Hawk Moth hadn’t discovered his secret. It was okay; he hadn’t been violent. It was okay; Ladybug didn’t seem suspicious of his identity.

“Do you need me to take you back home?”

He was shaking his head before she even finished speaking. “I don’t want to go back there just yet.”

“Alright.” She was thinking about something, he could tell. If he didn’t say anything else (not that he  _ could _ at the moment) she’d probably bring it up. A few seconds of silence rewarded him. “I… I can trust you, right?”

Well. That wasn’t what he was expecting. “Of course. I’d do anything for you, Ladybug.”

“Good, because I really don’t want to leave you alone right now, but —” Her earrings beeped. “—As you can tell, I’m about to transform back. Can I trust you not to look while I recharge?”

He blinked. Ladybug was offering to spend time with him while she was detransformed? Sure, he was completely trustworthy — he was her partner, for goodness’ sake — but did she know that? She’d only interacted with him as Adrien a handful of times over the years… 

“I promise on my life.” He didn’t have to force the grateful smile. “Thank you.”

“It’s no problem, Adrien.” He did his best to commit the way she said his name to memory as she helped him stand up. She put her left arm around his waist. “Hold on tight. We’re not going far, but I don’t want to drop you.”

He looped his arms around her shoulders. When they started swinging through the streets of Paris, he couldn’t help the excited smile that spread across his face. The swooping feeling was so different than what he was used to with his baton, and he momentarily let the events of the past hour be forgotten.

At the third chime of Ladybug’s earrings, she pulled them up onto a roof and jumped across a couple of rooftops so they weren’t along a main road any longer. She set him down next to a chimney.

“Here, you can sit here. It should only take a couple of minutes, I’ll be right on the other side, okay?” At some point in the middle of her sentence, she had grabbed his hand for reassurance. Except, now, he didn’t want to let go, and she didn’t seem like she was going to, either. 

So, it was with a smile that he sank down against the stone as he felt her do the same on the other side.

“Tikki, spots off.”

He watched with fascination as her hand glowed pink for a moment before fading, and suddenly, he was holding hands with Ladybug out of the suit. He heard her quietly say something to her kwami before she raised her voice so he could hear.

“So, I know I’m not the one that normally comforts the victims, so if I suck at this, I’m sorry.” 

He grinned at that. “I’d say you’re doing a wonderful job. I don’t think Chat Noir usually whisks random civilians away to the rooftops for post-akuma therapy.”

He heard her giggle, and he let his head fall against the stone as he sighed quietly.

“Yeah, well, I didn’t just want to leave you alone out there, like I said. I… I know you’ve got a really good heart, Adrien, and you definitely don’t deserve whatever it is you’re going through. Just remember that this wasn’t your fault. Everyone has bad days. It’s okay to not be perfect, even if you  _ are _ a teen celebrity. Try not to let it get to you, okay?”

He squeezed her hand. “Thanks, Ladybug.” 

She squeezed his hand back before resuming tracing circles on the back. “Also… I mean… Do you have anyone to talk to about any of this?”

Adrien sighed. “Not really. I mean, Nino’s great and all, but whenever I try to talk to him, he just gets mad at my father and it just makes me feel worse about everything.”

Ladybug was silent for a moment. “I’m sorry you feel that way, Adrien. But, honestly? A guy as great as you? I’m sure you’ve got a wider support network than you think. You just have to find someone you can trust.”

Ladybug dropped him off at his front door half an hour later.

He stood and watched as Ladybug zipped away. When she was out of sight, he sighed and pushed the door open. Nathalie was waiting for him in the foyer. She simply gestured to the dining room. He didn’t put up a fight this time, simply staring at the floor as he walked through the doorway.

When he looked up, Gabriel was sitting at the head of the table, sipping a glass of wine. The look on his face didn’t encourage Adrien to say anything, and he silently took his place next to him.

After a minute of silence, Gabriel turned towards his son. “Well, it appears I won’t be going on that trip after all, since apparently I can’t even leave for the airport without you getting akumatized over it.” He stabbed a floret of broccoli with a little more force than necessary. “I hope you realize what kind of damage control I will have to do because of this. Of course, for your part, I expect nothing less than perfection from your grades, fencing, languages, piano, and, of course, modelling. Don’t think I haven’t noticed you slipping these past few months. Your little rebellion ends now.”

The rest of dinner was eaten in silence.

* * *

“Ladybug?”

“Oh, Chat, thank  _ God _ you’re okay!”

Ladybug spun towards his voice and quickly closed the distance between them before enveloping him in the tightest hug she could manage.

“When you didn’t show up today, I was so  _ worried _ about you.” She pulled back just enough to be able to make out his face in the moonlight. “Is everything alright? You usually tell me if you’re going to be gone.”

“Yeah, sorry,” he said, as his hands came up to her back. He drew her closer in again, needing the closeness she was so willing to provide for once. “Something… Something came up.”

“But are you okay?”

Chat hesitated before answering. “I’m better now that I’m with you.”

It was several minutes before they left for patrol.

* * *

The next morning, Marinette was waiting on the steps of the school before anyone else got there. She only had to wait about twenty minutes before the only limo that stopped in front of the school pulled up. Armed with a box of pastries, she approached Adrien as the vehicle pulled away.

He looked really downcast. Maybe what she had said yesterday as Ladybug hadn’t been enough… Or maybe his father had said something to him. She’d be willing to put money on the second theory.

She shoved her feelings for him down (she’d been getting better at that) as she got closer.

“Good morning, Adrien!” she greeted in her cheeriest voice.

He looked up, a too-perfect smile appearing on his face. “Good morning, Marinette.”

“These are for you,” she said, holding out the box towards him. He took it, and his smile had a touch more genuinity. “And, look. I know we’re not, like  _ super _ close or anything, but if you need someone to talk to, my door is always open. With pastries.”

“Thank you, Marinette.” He glanced towards the ground for a second, but when he looked back up, his smile was smaller, but completely real.

“Any of us, really,” she continued. “Anyone in this school would be lucky to call you their friend, if you don’t feel comfortable talking to me.”

As she finished speaking, he stepped forward and hugged her. She returned the hug like a normal person, no matter how hard her feelings for him were trying to get loose so she could faint like she would on a normal day.

After a second, he pulled back. “You’re a wonderful person. It’s no wonder you’ve never been akumatized.”

Marinette’s expression faltered. “Adrien, that doesn’t matter. I have my bad days, too. You’ve seen how quick my temper flares up. I mean… Remember Zombizou? That akuma was meant for me. Mlle Bustier took it instead, and it was just… It was awful to watch. That one was a really powerful akuma, too. I’m grateful she doesn’t blame me for it, but still.” She took a deep breath. “Nobody’s perfect. Not me, not you, not even your father. So… Whatever pressure he’s putting you under, just remember that.”

Through the day, when Marinette would pass him in the halls, he was smiling.  _ Another job well done. _

* * *

It was raining in Paris. Definitely enough to keep anyone indoors, but the city’s superheroes weren’t just anyone.

“I’m sorry for calling you. Trust me, I wouldn’t have asked you to come here if this wasn’t an emergency.”

“It’s alright, Chat. I don’t mind. I like the rain.”

They were sitting on a windowsill on the leeward side of Notre Dame, the most shelter they could get from a downpour. Still, the run over had left them both soaked, and the drops of water falling from their hair got lost in the rain falling inches from their faces.

“Is there something you wanted to talk about?”

He shrugged. “I don’t know. I just missed you. Really badly. I know we saw each other on Tuesday but… I don’t know,” he repeated, sighing. “This is stupid. I’m sorry for dragging you out here.”

“Hey, kitty, don’t apologize. It’s alright to miss someone.” She moved her hand to rub it across his shoulders soothingly, and he relaxed into her touch.

“I know. It’s just — it’s so unfair, you know? You’re my best friend, and we can’t even do things that normal friends do. We can’t just call each other and go to the park or grab lunch or play video games—”

“Chat.”

“—I mean, not that I get to do that stuff  _ normally, _ but it would be nice to have the  _ option, _ you know?”

“Chat.”

A sigh.

“You know why we can’t—”

“Yes, I  _ know _ why we can’t.” There was hesitation in the air, something he was trying to figure out whether or not to say. Ladybug turned her head to give him her full attention. “But… What if I knew that wouldn’t be a problem?”

Ladybug took a deep breath as she tried to make sense of that. “How could you possibly know? If Hawk Moth—”

“Ladybug, just hear me out, okay?” He turned to meet her gaze. “Please. If I ask you something, can you answer me? Just answer. Not any protests. I promise I’ll explain.”

She nodded. “I can do that.”

Chat looked back out at the city below them. “You trust me, right?”

“Of course I do.” She held back the rest of what she wanted to say, the part where it didn’t make a difference.

“And you know I’d take the fall for you any day, right?”

“You scare me with how much you do already.”

“So you know that I’d guard your secret even more carefully than I’d guard my own?”

“...I guess.”

He sighed. “If Hawk Moth ever got me, of course.”

“Yeah.”

He said he’d explain. She wasn’t going to push it. He looked like he was gathering his courage, anyway. They sat in silence for a full minute before he spoke again.

“So… Hawk Moth doesn’t know who I am.”

“That’s… Good, right? He shouldn’t know who you are.”

“No, Ladybug, it’s—” He turned his head fully away from her and took a frustrated breath. His hands clenched where they rested on his thighs before relaxing as he exhaled. When he looked back at her, she saw tears in his eyes, and she knew it wasn’t the rain playing tricks. “I’ve been akumatized, Ladybug.”

_ I’ve been akumatized. _

“He’s been in my head.”

_ I’ve been akumatized. _

“And he still doesn’t know who I am.”

_ I’ve been akumatized. _

“I know I would  _ never _ let him find out who you are.”

“Wait.” She held up a hand, not noticing the way her voice broke on that one word. “You…”  _ Yes, he’s been akumatized. That’s what we’re talking about here. Get it together. Don’t ask stupid questions. _ “Why…?”  _ Why didn’t he tell you? Because you’ve told him time and time again not to talk about anything related to your identities. That obviously would have given his away. He’s been keeping this from you this whole time. _

She moved closer to him and wrapped her arms around him in the best side-hug she could manage. He didn’t seem to mind, returning the hug and letting his head rest on hers.

“I’m so sorry.” 

In the four years they’d been fighting Hawk Moth, there were only twelve times she’d been able to beat the akuma before Chat showed up.

“I know that’s not enough, I know it will  _ never _ be enough, but I am  _ so _ sorry you felt like you couldn’t tell me.”

Nine of them had been male.

“But…” She drew away and looked him in the eye. “If showing you who I am is a step towards earning your forgiveness…”

Two had been blond.

“...Then I’m willing to show you.”

One of them, Chat had notified her that he’d be gone for a few days that week. He hadn’t even been there. A glint of gold flashed in her mind’s eye.

“...But?”

Damn. She’d hoped he wouldn’t hear the hesitation in her voice. She swallowed.

“You’re Adrien Agreste.”

A beat of silence confirmed it for her.

A beat of silence twisted his features into an incredulous expression.

“So?”

“So…” She spluttered for a moment, waving her hands in the air in front of her. “So, you’re not only the bravest, most selfless person I know as Chat Noir, but you’re  _ also _ the kindest, most selfless person I know as Adrien. And a freaking  _ supermodel, _ to boot.”

“...You know me as Adrien?”

Her wide-eyed expression gave her away.

“Then… You know I’m a  _ person, _ too, right?”

“I… Of  _ course _ I know you’re a person, it’s just—”

“Look, my Lady, I’m not trying to pressure you into revealing yourself, but if being scared that our civilian statuses don’t match is what’s holding you back, just know that during photoshoots and runway practice, I’m thinking of the best puns I’ll be able to tell you on patrol. I swear to God, I’m still a nerd.”

It really wasn’t that funny of a comment, but Ladybug couldn’t help the giggles that bubbled up from her chest. 

“So  _ that’s  _ why you always have so many of them!” 

“That’s right, Bugaboo,” Chat said, reaching out to sling an arm across her shoulders. She naturally leaned into the contact, resting her head on his chest. “Still me, whether or not I have the mask on.”

It took a second for it to set in, that she was leaning against Adrien’s chest, but for some reason… 

Well, she still had butterflies in her stomach, but she was also a lot more comfortable with it than she would have been, say, four years ago. A lot had changed in those four years.

She’d finally made it clear to Chloé that she wouldn’t let herself be bullied any longer. The girl had backed off, not even bothering to find a new victim.

She’d taken an active role in student leadership, continuing from class representative to being part of the student council in higher years. Now, before her final year of pre-University education, she was lined up to be the Student Council President.

When new students came in, her classmates would direct them to her. She always had a croissant to share and words of welcome. She would direct them to the people to talk to in order for them to find where they’d fit in best.

Altogether, she was a lot more sure of herself than she had been when she’d started out her gig as Ladybug. Her peers made sure she had more than enough validation to keep that up.

Including Adrien.

She took a deep breath.

“Don’t let me fall,  _ chaton.” _

His grip tightened around her shoulders. “I wouldn’t dream of it, my Lady.”

She’d tease him about the excitement in his voice some other time. For now, though, she leaned back slightly so she could look him in the eye. This was her best friend. The person she loved most in the world.  _ Sorry, Maman… Papa… Alya… _

“Tikki, spots off.”

She saw the pink light of her transformation reflected in the green of his eyes. Tikki appeared, glanced between them, realized what was happening, and phased through the window to give them some privacy.

“Marinette,” he breathed, and she could  _ hear _ his lips curving into a smile. She could see it, too, of course, but the sound went straight to her heart and sent it into overdrive. “I should have known.”

“We were both blind idiots,” she responded at an equal volume, barely making herself heard over the rainfall. 

They were silent for a moment, then, just taking each other in. Now that she knew, Marinette could see Adrien behind the mask of her goofy partner. The rise of his cheekbones, the line of his jaw, the curve of his lips… 

“Marinette?”

Her eyes snapped back to his.

“Yeah?”

“Does this…” He seemed not to notice the way his free hand moved closer to hers, barely brushing her fingertips with his. “Does this change anything between us?”

“What do you mean?” Her hand inched towards his, entwining their fingers.

“I mean…” He took her hand fully in his, and seemed perfectly aware of it now. “From the first time that I saw you stand up to Hawk Moth, I knew that even though I didn’t know who you were under the mask, I loved you. And, honestly, I think that magic was the only thing that kept me from seeing you all this time, because… Well, Marinette, you’ve got to be the most incredible girl I know.”

Marinette blinked up at him, words failing her. “...Yeah?”

“Yeah,” he whispered back. “And… Well, I guess I’m just  _ really _ hoping that knowing who I am makes you more receptive to my feelings, because knowing who you are… Marinette, I will wait as long as it takes, if you think there’s any hope for me, but I’ll be damned if it won’t be the hardest thing I’ve ever had to do.”

She was stunned into silence at his tone; too shocked even to move for a second. It was only the look in his eyes as she didn’t respond that spurred her into moving. She gently untangled her hand from his and raised it to his face, holding it close as she leaned in.

It maybe wasn’t an ideal first kiss, what with their lips being wet from the rain and all, but Marinette wouldn’t have had it any other way. After all, who else could say their first kiss was with Adrien Agreste, sitting in a windowsill on Notre-Dame?

Besides, after a couple minutes, he carried her to a little balcony that had a chair under some cover, and even after that, they had years of practice.

**Author's Note:**

> "If it's any consolation, you sucked as an akuma." -Ladybug, sometime later that evening
> 
> follow me on [Tumblr](https://www.etoilesjaunes.tumblr.com) for more! <3


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